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I’ve been trying to think of ways to help me to change the way my classes interact with taking notes. In order to move towards aCfE I was wondering if it would help if I changed the way they used their jotters/folders. Instead of them being a place to gather notes (much of which is a replication of their textbook) it could be seen as a tool to aid, and a record of, their learning.

I envisage a two-sided approach to a jotter. The front is a well kept learning log with a few pages for each topic, while the back is a place for rough working, brainstorming and sketching answers & ideas.

I then started to frame some common questions for the learning log side. I’ve condensed these into an A4 proforma, however, they could be easily expanded.

What do you think?

This seemed to pass me by. It would appear that my wishes have come true and the implementation of aCfE and the new exams is being slowed.

I really hope that this will give everyone the time and space to consider their way forward with all of this. If we’re really serious about this change, we should be taking the time to do it right, otherwise why bother?

Sorry I’ve been a bit quiet again recently. I think I’ve got a pretty good excuse - I recently became a dad for the first time!

I thought I’d start back with a relatively short post. In fact, I’m being very lazy - I’ve found a great post of aCfE that I’m just going to redirect you to: Curriculum for Excellence inset day

How can more ‘lightbulb moments’ be encouraged?

Our department, like many others I’m sure, is currently considering how we’re going to begin to implement a Curriculum for Excellence next year.

I’ve had a little go at having a think about how I’d introduce a cells topic next year with this in mind and come up with this:

What do you think? Am I on the right lines? Any suggestions?

I’m in the middle of reading “About Learning: Report of the Learning Working Group” published by Demos in 2005. This is on my reading list for day 3 of module 2. I’m really enjoying it (I know, I’m a freak). It’s got Curriculum for Excellence written all over it and it’s come from the great punching bag in the South - Englandshire!

If you’re as sad as I am, why not have a read?

I’m really proud of a group from my S5 Higher Biology class who took a homework task and really made it their own. They were were set the task of producing something which could be used to raise awareness of global and local conservation projects. Six of the pupils decided to make a video on the work of Edinburgh Zoo and the reintroduction of beavers into Scotland. They used their own equipment, money and time to do this and you can see their product below:

For me, this is exactly what Curriculum for Excellence is about. It’s my task to find a way of incorporating these sorts of activities into lesson time, and hopefully a reduction in content will assist in this?

I’ve been arguing that teachers should be given the opportunity to consider what exactly a Curriculum for Excellence is before they get too bogged down in experiences & outcomes, or even Don’s questions. So I thought maybe I should try and think what it is to me.

A Curriculum for Excellence is about (in no particular order):

• Preparing pupils for working and living in the 21st Century

• A shift of focus from content to skills

• An emphasis on social contructivist inspired teaching strategies

• Giving teachers greater autonomy

• Encouraging more dynamic, innovative and interlinked schools

• Engaging pupils in their own learning

A Curriculum for Excellence is not about (in no particular order):

• Buying pre-made off the shelf courses

• The four capacities - we will surely aim to foster these qualities in our pupils, but plastering these phrases around the school and in paperwork will not get us anywhere

A Curriculum for Excellence will work if (in no particular order):

• HMIe and the SQA lead the way

• Teachers are converted by the pedagogy

• Teachers are supported in the transition

• Teachers are given the opportunity to work together in the implementation

• Councils & senior management teams embrace the changes and allow their staff to take risks

There’s obviously much much more which could be added to these lists.

What would you add/remove/question?

So, I started the next modules at Stirling on Saturday. These are the equivalent to modules three and four under the conventional system of twelve modules, but as Stirling has double modules, most people there think of this as module two of six. It does mean I have to make an APL claim for the second half of their first module - but I’ll leave that for now.

The day was very useful and I’m really looking forward to completing the rest of the MEd at Stirling. It’s a very different atmosphere to what I’m used to. There were only nine of us with one tutor, which gave it a very relaxed feeling. We spent the day considering the nature of Professional Enquiry, Pedagogy and Critical Incidents, along with the usual introductions & paper work. Although I found the readings quite hard going before the day, I think like others on the course, I just needed a day in Uni to get my brain going again.

As ever, many of the discussions on Saturday came back to Curriculum for Excellence. I’m still amazed to hear the same thoughts coming from teachers in East Lothian and at my Module 1 at Edinburgh AND now at Stirling as well. The general consensus seems to me to still be confusion.

When I was working as an Advisory Teacher in Namibia, I spent my last months preparing workshops for all teachers to assist them with the introduction of new syllabi. The idea behind this was that every teacher would have an opportunity out of school to be introduced to the new courses and to discuss and prepare for their implementation. Very little of this nature seems to be happening here as far as I can see - and this isn’t new syllabi, this is a whole new philosophy/ethos/pedagogy!

I know that some efforts are now being made, but we’re going to be expected to have this implemented in S1 and S2 this time next year - and in the meantime we have fairly demanding jobs to be getting on with as well!

Time is short. I feel that many teachers would like to start at the beginning, i.e. workshops along the lines of “What is Curriculum for Excellence?”. For this seems to me to be what is missing. Everyone is reading the Draft experiences and outcomes thinking “is this it?”. A stage seems to have been missed out, and for Curriculum for Excellence, it’s the most important stage! Setting the scene, sharing the pedagogy, discussing the implications…..

Who’s going to do this? I know that East Lothian is putting people in place for this, but what about other areas? Are they doing the same?

We have to get to grips with this, and I’m starting to feel that those of us who are engaged with the Chartered Teacher programme are in many ways best placed to help drive this forward.